Jia Partners with Netbank to Open AI-Powered SME Lending Infrastructure to Global Banks

Quick Summary

Jia is solving the SME credit gap by opening its proprietary AI underwriting infrastructure, Ossicone, to external financial institutions. Through a landmark partnership with Netbank, Jia provides banks with automated credit decisions and regulated banking flows to serve previously overlooked businesses in emerging markets effectively.

How Does Jia Solve the SME Credit Gap?

Jia bridges the US$8 trillion gap by providing the technical rails that legacy banks lack. By offering its Ossicone AI engine via API and white-label products, Jia allows banks and cooperatives to deploy advanced underwriting models without rebuilding their core infrastructure. This approach targets inventory-heavy companies and retailers that possess strong order flows but lack the traditional documentation required by conventional credit assessments.

• $2 million facility provided by Netbank to fund 500 SMEs.
• Sub-30 minute decisions delivered with 97% accuracy.
• Regulated banking flows integrated via the new Jia Accounts product.

What Results Has Ossicone Underwriting Delivered?

The Ossicone underwriting engine has been rigorously tested on Jia’s own balance sheet, proving its ability to outperform industry standards. Since 2022, the platform has processed over US$20 million in loans while maintaining a non-performing loan rate below 3%. This is significantly lower than the 10% to 15% industry average typically seen in the Philippine SME sector. By analyzing real-time cashflow data and non-traditional documents like delivery receipts, the system creates a unique proprietary data moat that sharpens accuracy with every transaction.

How Does the Netbank Partnership Benefit Lenders?

The collaboration with Netbank serves as a blueprint for how institutional credit facilities can be deployed at scale. Netbank provides the regulated banking rails, while Jia provides the AI-driven intelligence to manage risk. This partnership enables lenders to reach underserved emerging markets with confidence, backed by a system that has already achieved zero write-offs across millions of dollars in originations. It transforms Jia from a solo lender into a comprehensive financial platform for the wider banking ecosystem.

FF NEWS TAKE:

Jia’s move to open its SME credit gap infrastructure is a significant needle-mover for emerging market finance. By transitioning from a direct lender to a SaaS-enabled platform, Jia is effectively democratizing high-accuracy AI underwriting. This partnership with Netbank proves that regulated financial institutions are hungry for specialized tech that can safely unlock high-yield SME portfolios. This is a masterclass in embedded lending infrastructure.